Albuterol

What Is Albuterol?

Albuterol is the generic form of the brand-name drugs Proventil, ProAir, and Ventolin, which are used to treat lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Albuterol can quickly relieve shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, and chest tightness. It's in a class of drugs known as bronchodilators, which work by relaxing and opening air passages to the lungs.

This medicine is sometimes used to treat or improve muscle paralysis in people with a condition that causes paralysis attacks (such as hyperkalemic periodic paralysis).

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved albuterol in 1982.

Albuterol Warnings

You should keep albuterol with you at all times and get your prescription refilled before you run out of this medication.

Albuterol can control symptoms of asthma and other lung diseases, but it doesn't cure them. You should not stop taking this medicine without first talking to your doctor.

This medicine can sometimes cause wheezing or breathing difficulties immediately after it's inhaled. You should call your doctor right away if this happens to you.

You should also tell your doctor if your symptoms worsen or if albuterol stops helping your symptoms.

Before taking albuterol, tell your healthcare provider if you have or have ever had:

An irregular heartbeat

Heart disease

High blood pressure

Hyperthyroidism

Diabetes

Seizures

Don't use your albuterol inhaler near a flame or source of heat. The inhaler can explode when exposed to very high temperatures.

Pregnancy and Albuterol

Albuterol is an FDA Pregnancy Category C drug, which means it's not known whether it will harm an unborn baby. You should tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while taking albuterol.

It's also not known whether this drug passes into breast milk and could harm a breastfeeding baby. You should talk to your doctor before breastfeeding while taking albuterol.

Albuterol Side Effects

Common Side Effects of Albuterol

You should tell your doctor if any of the following side effects of albuterol become severe or don't go away:

Nervousness

Shaking of a part of the body

Headache

Nausea

Vomiting

Cough

Irritation in the throat

Muscle, bone, or back pain

Albuterol and Weight Loss

Because albuterol has a stimulating effect, some people try to use it for weight loss. Various websites (of dubious credibility) offer instructions and discussions on how to use this medication for weight loss.

However, albuterol is not approved by the FDA for this purpose. Increasing your dose of this medicine or using it more frequently than prescribed to achieve weight loss can be dangerous and lead to life-threatening side effects.

Serious Side Effects of Albuterol

You should call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following serious side effects:

Albuterol and Other Interactions

Albuterol Dosage

This medicine comes as a liquid to inhale with a nebulizer (a machine that turns medication into a mist) or as an aerosol inhaler.

You should follow your doctor's instructions carefully when using this medicine.

The inhaler is typically used every four to six hours as needed to treat or prevent symptoms of lung disease. The nebulizer solution is typically used three to four times a day as needed.

The inhaler form of albuterol comes in canisters. Each canister provides 200 inhalations. You should throw away the canister after you've used the labeled number of inhalations, even if you think it still contains some medication.

Your inhaler may provide an attached counter that keeps track of the number of sprays you've used. You shouldn't try to change the numbers or remove the counter from the canister. When the number "020" appears on the counter, you should contact your doctor or pharmacist for a refill. When the number "000" appears, you shouldn't use the inhaler any longer.

If your inhaler doesn't contain a counter, you'll have to keep track of the number of inhalations you use. You can divide the number of inhalations in your inhaler by the number of inhalations you use each day to determine how many days your inhaler will last.

When using the inhaler for the first time, you should prime it by spraying four test sprays into the air, away from your face. Also, prime the inhaler if you haven't used it for two weeks or longer, or if you drop it.

Never use your inhaler to inhale any other type of medication. Your inhaler is designed for an albuterol canister only.

You should clean your inhaler or nebulizer on a regular basis. If you don't care for your inhaler properly, it can become blocked.

Albuterol Overdose

If you suspect an overdose, contact a poison control center or emergency room immediately. You can get in touch with a poison control center at (800) 222-1222.

Missed Dose of Albuterol

If you take albuterol on a regular schedule and you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember.

However, if it's almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue on your regular schedule. Don't double up on doses to make up for a missed one.

Albuterol FAQ

Q: I carry Ventolin as a rescue inhaler, and lately I have noticed that it gives me atrial fibrillation. Is this normal? Is there another inhaler I can try?

A: Atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat, has been reported as a side effect of Ventolin HFA (albuterol), which is an inhaler that opens the airways in your lungs to ease breathing during an asthma attack. Other side effects of Ventolin include throat irritation, viral respiratory infections, upper respiratory inflammation, cough, musculoskeletal pain, bronchospasm, hoarseness, supraventricular tachycardia (another type of arrhythmia), and hypersensitivity reactions (including urticaria, angioedema, and rash). If you haven't done so already, report your atrial fibrillation to your doctor, and ask about other possible treatment options that may work better for you. Prescribing the right medication depends on a number of things, including your age, your symptoms, your asthma triggers, and what works best to keep your asthma under control.

Q: Is there anything new or better for emphysema than albuterol?

A: This is a difficult question to answer because treatment for breathing problems is individualized for each patient depending on multiple factors that are best addressed by your doctor. Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin) is one of various medications that your physician may recommend.

Q: Does long term use of albuterol have mood altering effects?

A: Albuterol (Ventolin, Proair, Proventil) is a bronchodilator that relaxes muscles in the airways and increases air flow to the lungs. Albuterol is used to treat or prevent bronchospasm in people with reversible obstructive airway disease. Albuterol is also used to prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm. Albuterol is also used short term for wheezing and shortness of breath during the common cold. According to the Ventolin package insert possible side effects of taking this drug include fast or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, shakiness, and nervousness. There is no documentation from the Ventolin, Proair, or Proventil package insert that any of these drugs cause any type of mood altering effect. Individuals have reported shakiness and increased heart rate after using albuterol. It is important to use albuterol only has the physician prescribes. Albuterol inhalers should only be used as needed. If albuterol is needed more than the prescribed dose, another medication may be needed to control the obstructive symptoms. For more information on albuterol please visit Everyday Health at the link http://http://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/
Kimberly Hotz, PharmD

Q: Does albuterol, Pulmicort, or Nasonex affect a child's behavior?

A: According to package inserts, albuterol (VoSpire ER) can cause hyperactivity, excitement, and irritability in children. Pulmicort (budesonide) has been reported to cause irritability, aggressive reactions, and anxiety. You are encouraged to report any negative side effects of prescription drugs to your health care practitioner and the Food and Drug Administration by visiting www.fda.gov/medwatch or calling 1-800-FDA-1088.
Michelle McDermott, PharmD

Q: I have asthma and take albuterol. Does albuterol affect blood sugar levels?

A: According to the package insert, albuterol (Proventil) may cause an increase in blood sugar levels or hyperglycemia. For more information, please consult with your health care provider and visit http://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/albuterol. Michelle McDermott, PharmD

Q: Has Albuterol been recalled?

A: The generic Albuterol inhaler was pulled off the market after 2008 because it contained chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are believed to harm the ozone layer. However, there are several newer inhalers that contain the active ingredient albuterol that are environmentally friendly currently being sold in the market. Some examples of these brand name inhalers are Proair, Proventil and Ventolin. It is unclear when generic albuterol inhalers will become available again. For more specific information, consult with your doctor or pharmacist for guidance based on your health status and current medications, particularly before taking any action. Leslie Ako-Mbo, PharmD

Q: I am using a Ventolin inhaler 4 times a day now. Is there anything better I could use that is not dosed so often?

A: Ventolin HFA (albuterol) is a short acting bronchodilator which helps open the airways to improve breathing in patients with asthma or COPD. Ventolin can be used as a rescue inhaler since it works quickly to open the airways. For those patients who have to use Ventolin frequently, adding a maintenance medication can help decrease the need for a rescue inhaler. For patients with asthma, adding a corticosteroid inhaler can help decrease inflammation in the lungs which will reduce the amount of asthma attacks. For patients with COPD, an anticholinergic inhaler such as Spiriva (tiotropium) or a long-acting bronchodilator may be added to help keep the airways open. Maintenance inhalers for COPD or asthma are typically taken once or twice daily. They must be taken regularly to be effective. They should reduce the need for rescue inhalers such as Ventolin. Your doctor can determine if you need a maintenance medication and if so, which would be best for you. Laura Cable, PharmD

Q: My son is 10 years old now but he suffers from asthma. He started with Albuterol through a nebulizer when he was about a year old. He's a little shorter than his other classmates, I was wondering if all that Albuterol could have affected his growth?

A: Albuterol is a short-acting beta agonist which is used for the treatment of asthma or shortness of breath. Albuterol is considered a

Q: How safe is an Albuterol inhaler for asthma?

A: Albuterol is a bronchodilator that relaxes muscles in the airways improving air flow to the lungs. Albuterol inhalers are used to treat bronchospasm (wheezing and shortness of breath) in patients with lung conditions such as asthma. Patients with certain medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, heart rhythm disorder, epilepsy, diabetes, or overactive thyroid have an increased chance of having an adverse reaction with albuterol. Rare but serious side effects have been reported with albuterol including chest tightness, chest pain, abnormal heart rhythm, nervousness, tremor, and increased blood pressure. Less serious side effects include headache, dizziness, nervousness, insomnia, cough, dry mouth, sore throat, muscle pain, and diarrhea. This is not a complete list of the side effects associated with albuterol. For more specific information, consult with your doctor or pharmacist. Albuterol can have interactions with some medications particularly beta-blockers for high blood pressure. When your doctor prescribes a new medication, be sure to discuss all your prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including dietary supplements, vitamins, botanicals, minerals, and herbals, as well as the foods you eat. Always keep a current list of the drugs and supplements you take and review it with your healthcare providers and your pharmacist. If possible, use one pharmacy for all your prescription medications and over-the-counter products. This allows your pharmacist to keep a complete record of all your prescription drugs and to advise you about drug interactions and side effects. Burton Dunaway, PharmD

Q: Since they have come out with the non-aerosol spray, I'm going through my inhaler in about 10 days. Is there any other inhaler to use other than Proair?

A: Proair (albuterol) is known as the "rescue" inhaler because it is fast-acting and opens the airways very quickly, and makes it a great medication for use during an attack from asthma or COPD. The albuterol inhalers of the past had to be changed over to version that did not contain hydrochlorofluorocarbons in the propellant that harms the ozone layer. The new versions that have replaced it are in the form of Proair, Ventolin, and Proventil. Quite often, one works better than another for an individual. If you do try the other two and still use them all too much, an inhaled corticosteroid, not to be confused with anabolic steroids that some body builders use, such as Flovent (fluticasone), Qvar (beclomethasone), Pulmicort (budesonide), Aerobid (flunisolide), Asmanex (mometasone), or Azmacort (triamcinolone) may need to be used along with a rescue inhaler. The steroid inhalers are used daily and keep inflammation down. When they are used, the albuterol use should only be when needed. It is important to get COPD or asthma under control, as COPD is the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States. It is the term used to describe two lung conditions, bronchitis and emphysema, which are commonly caused from smoking. Changes occur which reduce the ability to breathe easily, and they include the airways becoming less elastic, reducing the expansion room of the lungs, destruction of tissue wall between the air sacs, so less air is taken in, swelling of the airways due to irritation of the lining, and production of more mucus. COPD usually becomes progressively worse if it is not treated. Doctors cannot cure COPD or undo the damage to the lungs, but changing the lifestyle through giving up smoking, staying physically active, and taking medications can significantly slow down the process. Asthma is just as important to be able to manage, and the same lifestyle changes along with a steroid, and albuterol can be a great answer. For more specific information, consult with your doctor or pharmacist for guidance based on your health status and current medications, particularly before taking any action.
Patti Brown, PharmD

Q: When you have an enlarged heart, almost 3 times the normal size, and you take albuterol, can there be any side effects?

A: Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin) can cause significant cardiovascular effects in certain patients. Albuterol can affect both pulse rate and blood pressure. According to research, albuterol has also been reported to cause changes in an electrocardiogram (ECG). Based on these findings, albuterol should be used with extreme caution in patients with documented cardiovascular disorders, specifically heart arrhythmias and hypertension (high blood pressure). It is important to make all of your health care providers aware of your enlarged heart. You may want to discuss further treatment with albuterol with your health care provider. Albuterol is a bronchodilator which relaxes the muscles in your airways and increases air flow to your lungs. Albuterol is approved to treat or prevent bronchospasm and to prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm. Some of the possible side effects associated with albuterol treatment include nervousness, dizziness, headache, insomnia (difficulty sleeping), cough, hoarseness, runny nose, stuffy nose, sore throat, muscle pain, diarrhea or dry mouth and throat. For more specific information, consult with your doctor or pharmacist for guidance based on your health status and current medications, particularly before taking any action. Beth Isaac, PharmD

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